1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to learning and entertainment devices, methods and systems, and in particular embodiments, to a pronunciation, teaching and practice device which utilizes videos, CDS and other storage media.
2. Related Art
English conversation and other forms of language study have become popular in recent years, and various types of practice device and method are employed. Practice face-to-face with a teacher is the most common method, but systems which permit practice at home either individually or in small groups are also effective. The video-player is very popular in the ordinary home, but it is normally used for recording broadcast programmes or playing rented video tapes, and its use is limited if applied to the study of English (or other language) conversation without further modification. The problem is that practice becomes one-sided, and it is impossible to practice living conversation enjoyably. Moreover, it is not very effective.
Recent years have seen the emergence of new storage media such as CDS(CD family) and DVDS, but no proposals have been made for their use as effective pronunciation practice devices.
Accordingly, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a device, method or system which enables a user to practice language and pronunciation skills effectively and enjoyably by using a video-player without further modification.
Moreover, preferred embodiments of the present invention involve a format which enables the learner to practice pronunciation effectively by using compact discs (CDs) and storage media which permit the recording of images without any modification to the playback device, and further involve a pronunciation practice device and method for that purpose.
In addition, further preferred embodiments of the present invention involve a format which enables the learner to practice pronunciation effectively with an admixture of subtitles by using digital video discs (DVDS) and modern multimedia storage media without any modification to the playback device, and further involve a pronunciation practice device and method for that purpose.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a learning system comprises a monitor television, a video-player connected to this monitor television, and a storage medium in which prescribed image signals and sound signals are stored, a first sound signal and a second sound signal of the storage medium corresponding respectively to a first sound channel and a second sound channel of the monitor television, and a switching means for being provided whereby to switch between the first sound channel and the second sound channel in such a manner as to make it possible to select the first sound signal and the second sound signal of the storage medium set in the video-player, structured in such a manner that during playback of the storage medium it is possible while watching the playback image on the monitor television to use the means of switching in order to turn off at least one of the sounds provided by the first and second sound signals, a first mixer and a second mixer having input/output portions which correspond respectively to the first sound channel and the second sound channel, the input portions being connected to each other, while this connection is further connected to the video-player or to a means of control whereby this is controlled, the output of the first mixer being connected to a speaker of the monitor television, and the output of the second mixer to a microphone and an audio-phone(i.e. an ear-phone or a headphone) used by the operator, the sound signal which is output from the microphone being input to the first mixer, and the sound which has been turned off being audible to the operator through the audio-phone, while the sound of the operator input through the microphone is audible other than to the operator in place of the sound which has been turned off.
A storage medium (i.e. Laser Disc, video disc, video CDs, karaoke CDs, CD-IDV), according to preferred embodiments, stores image data and sound data corresponding to the images in a plurality of separate channels, wherein at least in part of the practice area, the sound data relating to two predetermined sounds (e.g. the voices of characters A and B whose images are displayed) out of a plurality of types of sound which are to be played back (i.e., which correspond to the images) is allocated during storage respectively to the first sound channel (e.g. left-hand channel) and second sound channel (e.g. right-hand channel), respectively. In the above structure, only specific sounds are stored from each sound channel. As described in further detail below, the selective use of sounds from each channel can be controlled to allow pronunciation to be practiced.
The term xe2x80x9csoundxe2x80x9d as used herein includes not only the human voice, but other sounds as well, including, but not limited to, the sounds of specific musical instruments-for instance. In other words, the present invention may be adapted for use not only in language study and vocal practice, but for practicing musical instruments and other purposes.
Thus, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pronunciation practice system employs a storage medium as described above and is structured in such a manner as to facilitate pronunciation practice, wherein the system includes:
a) a sound feed device which feeds sound individually to a user engaged in pronunciation practice,
b) a sound input device which changes voices uttered by the user into a sound signal,
c) a switch having two input terminals and two output terminals, the sound signal of the first sound channel and the sound signal of the second sound channel being input to both of the input terminals in parallel way, while in a first selection state (e.g. when character A is selected) the sound signal of the first sound channel is output from the first output terminal, the sound signal of the second sound channel being output from the second output terminal, and in a second selection state (e.g. when character B is selected) the sound signal of the first sound channel is output from the second output terminal, the sound signal of the second sound channel being output from the first output terminal,
d) an amplifier which feeds the sound signal fed from the first input terminal of the switch to the sound feed device, and
e) a mixer which synthesizes the sound signal fed from the second output terminal of the switch with the sound signal-from the sound input device, and outputs them as a sound input signal corresponding to the displaying image by a playback device. Under xe2x80x9cvoicexe2x80x9d as used here is subsumed not only the human voice, but the sound of playing musical instrument. The switch may be, for example, a normal audio switch or an audio mixer structured in such a manner that it is possible to alter the output level channel by channel. It may be housed within the playback device or form part of a device which combines at least two of the above switch, mixer and amplifier. In the sound feed device and monitor device it is possible to set each of the sound input signals at will, and to decide whether output is from the left-hand stereo channel or from the right-hand channel. It is also possible to partition the sound signal from one channel between the left-hand and right-hand channels when listening.
A storage medium (i.e., medium suitable for multimedia like DVD and the like), according to preferred embodiments of the invention, stores images and subtitle data relating to the sounds uttered during the course of these images in a plurality of subtitle channels. having a first subtitle channel wherein in at least part of a practice area subtitle data is added only in relation to a specific predetermined sound (e.g. the sound of character A) from among a plurality of types of sound (which are to be played back to correspond with the images), the addition of subtitle data in relation to sounds other than the specific sound (e.g. the sound of character B) being prohibited, and a second subtitle channel wherein the addition of subtitle data in relation to the specific sound is prohibited, while subtitle data is added in relation to sounds other than the specific sound. The first subtitle channel is, for example, for the purpose of displaying only the words spoken by a specific character among the characters displayed on the screen, while the second subtitle channel is for the purpose of displaying the words spoken by characters other than the specific character.
A storage medium according to preferred embodiments has, in addition, a third subtitle channel wherein subtitle data is added not only in relation to the specific sound but also in relation to sounds other than the specific sound. In other words, regular subtitle data is also added.
The above storage medium has a first sound channel wherein in the practice area sound data is stored only in relation to the. specific sound, and a second sound channel wherein sound data is stored only in relation to sounds other than the specific sound. For instance, a specific character is allocated to the first sound channel, and other characters to the second sound channel. The above storage medium has in addition a control data storage area (e.g. an information portion or segment play portion after the lead-in area) wherein is stored control data which allows the sound data of the first sound channel to be output as a first sound and the sound data of the second sound channel as a second sound when the specific sound (e.g. the sound of character A) is designated, while allowing the sound data of the second sound channel to be output as a first sound and the sound data of the first sound channel as a second sound when a sound other than the specific sound (e.g. the sound of character B) is designated. It has in addition a third sound channel wherein in the practice area sound data is added not only in relation to the specific sound but also in relation to sounds other than the specific sound.
Moreover, the above storage medium has in addition a control data storage area wherein is stored control data which allows the sound data of the first sound channel to be output as first sound and the sound data of the third sound channel as second sound when the specific sound is designated, while allowing the sound data of the second sound channel to be output as first sound and the sound data of the third sound channel as second sound when the specific sound is not designated. In other words, regular sound data is also added.
In further preferred embodiments, the storage medium has, in addition, a control data storage area for use in playback control wherein is stored menu data in which jump destination data is set, making it possible to jump to the practice area in accordance with the command of the user.
The menu data is preferably structured in such a manner as to make it possible to select slow mode, allowing the image data to be played back in slow mode in the practice area which is set as a jump destination of the slow mode, the sound height of the sound signal being the same as at normal speed by virtue of the fact that the same waveform is repeated a prescribed number of times in a uniform cycle, and the sound being compressed during storage in such a manner that the playback time is of a length which corresponds to the image signal in slow mode.
Therefore, a pronunciation practice system according to one preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes the above storage medium, is structured in such a manner as to facilitate pronunciation practice, and has:
a) a sound feed device which feeds sound individually to a user engaged in pronunciation practice by causing it to correspond to the first sound output fed from the playback device which plays back the storage medium,
b) a sound input device which changes sounds uttered by the user into a sound signal, and
c) a mixer which synthesizes the sound signal from the sound input device with the second sound output fed from the playback device, and outputs them as a sound input signal corresponding to the displaying image by the playback device.
Here, for instance, the sound feed device and sound input device comprise a headset having a speaker which is structured in such a manner as to be capable of feeding sound individually to the ears of the user, and a microphone which changes the sound of the user into a sound signal.
Moreover, the sound feed device and sound input device may comprise a receiver which feeds sound to the ears of the user and receives the user""s sound while the user grasps it.
Furthermore, the sound feed device and sound input device may comprise a microphone set having a microphone which changes the sound of the user into a sound signal and an earphone which feeds sound to the ears of the user, wherein the microphone has a retaining member, which holds the earphone, in a part of the microphone""s body.
A method of pronunciation practice according to one preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes a storage medium wherein the channel by which sound is output from the playback device is fixed:
a) During pronunciation practice using the sound of the first sound channel, sound corresponding to the sound signal of the first sound channel by playing the storage medium back is fed to the ears of the user, while sound corresponding to a sound signal obtained through synthesis of the sound signal of the second sound channel with a sound signal generated in response to the user""s pronunciation is fed in such a manner as to be audible to an audience, and
b) During pronunciation practice using the sound of the second sound channel, sound corresponding to the sound signal of the second sound channel by playing the storage medium back is fed to the ears of the user, while sound corresponding to a sound signal obtained through synthesis of the sound signal of the first sound channel with a sound signal generated in response to the user""s pronunciation is fed in such a manner as to be audible to the audience.
Moreover, a method of pronunciation practice according to one preferred embodiment of the invention further utilizes a storage medium wherein the channel by which sound is output from the playback device is capable of being changed at will:
a) During pronunciation practice using the sound of the first sound channel, subtitles based on subtitle data of the first subtitle channel or the third subtitle channel and output by playing the storage medium back are displayed on the monitor device, while sound corresponding to the sound signal of the first sound channel and output by playing the storage medium back is fed to the ears of the user, sound corresponding to a sound signal obtained through synthesis of the sound signal of the second sound channel with a sound signal generated in response to the user""s pronunciation being fed in such a manner as to be audible to an audience, and
b) During pronunciation practice using the sound of the second sound channel, subtitles based on subtitle data of the second subtitle channel or the third subtitle channel and output by playing the storage medium back are displayed on the monitor device, while sound corresponding to the sound signal of the second sound channel and output by playing the storage medium back is fed to the ears of the user, sound corresponding to a sound signal obtained through synthesis of the sound signal of the first sound channel with a sound signal generated in response to the user""s pronunciation being fed in such a manner as to be audible to an audience.
The term, xe2x80x9cstorage mediumxe2x80x9d is used herein to mean something on which information (mainly digital data, programs) is recorded by some kind of physical means or other, being such as can have the requisite function performed by a player or a processing device such as a computer. In other words, this need only be something that can provide sound data or subtitle data into a player or a computer by some means or other and cause the requisite function to be performed. Included in such media are, for example, magnetic tape like video tape or DAT tape, laser disc, video disc, video CD, karaoke CD, CD-IDV, CD-ROMs, DVD-R, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, flexible disks, MD, DCC, hard disks, photomagnetic disks, ROM cartridges, RAM memory cartridges equipped with battery back-up, flash memory cartridges, and non-volatile RAM cartridges. These shall extend to cases where data transfers are received from a host computer via wire or wireless communications lines (public lines, dedicated data lines, satellite circuits, etc.). The so-called Internet is also to be included in the recording media spoken of here.